The Wicklow Mountains at a glance
The Wicklow Mountains south of Dublin bring together open moorland, mountain lakes, wooded slopes and scenic roads. The national park protects blanket bog, heath, mountain grassland and oak woodland. A visit can be a coach excursion with landscape stops, a drive between viewpoints or a walking day with a route chosen for the conditions. These are different ways of spending time here, so start with the activity rather than trying to fit every name into one itinerary.
The region also includes private destinations. Powerscourt Gardens and Powerscourt Waterfall have their own entrances and tickets, while Lough Tay is viewed from public viewpoints rather than visited at its shore. Decide whether the main purpose is scenery, a garden, a waterfall or sustained walking. That choice makes the transport decision much clearer and helps avoid treating every green space on the map as part of the national park.
Our picks: Wicklow experiences
Our take: Choose the half-day coach trip for a shorter outing, or a longer day with guided walks and a waterfall visit. For an activity, compare the local ride with the Dublin riding trip.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Wicklow riding day from Dublin
- Horse Riding in Wicklow
- Live commentary on board
A guided day out from Dublin combines travel with horse riding in Wicklow.
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Local Wicklow horse ride
- Hats at the yard
The local yard is the starting point for this outdoor activity.
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Wicklow and Kilkenny by coach
- Round-trip transportation
- Walking tour of Glendalough
- Walking tour of Kilkenny
The trip combines two guided walks; Kilkenny Castle entry costs extra.
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Wicklow trip with Powerscourt Waterfall
- Entry to Powerscourt Waterfall
- Transportation during the whole tour
The driver-guide provides commentary throughout the trip.
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Wicklow scenery and pub visit
- Lough Tay photo stop
- Glendalough guided tour
- Air-conditioned coach
The English-speaking guide accompanies a full-day trip with a pub visit; complimentary Guinness is for adults aged 18 and over.
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Wicklow Mountains half-day trip
- Local guide
- Air-conditioned coach
A half-day outing with a local guide from Dublin.
Check availability →Wicklow Mountains trips and outdoor experiences
Find a short coach outing, a longer landscape circuit, a waterfall visit or a riding activity, according to the day you want.
Things to do in the Wicklow Mountains
Use the guides below to build a route around one main interest. Sally Gap and Lough Tay suit a landscape-focused plan; Powerscourt needs a choice between its formal gardens and its waterfall. The Wicklow Way belongs to a walking itinerary, with stage planning and overnight detours. For a day without a rental car, compare the actual stops and duration of the Dublin excursions before adding independent visits.
Wicklow Mountains tours
Half-day visits and longer combinations, with transport and meeting points.
National park
Free access, habitats and the difference between a drive and a hike.
Private tours
Private vehicles, mountain biking and a separate small-group hike.
Sally Gap
Mountain roads, viewpoints and planning a scenic drive.
Lough Tay
Public viewpoints and the boundaries of the private estate.
Powerscourt
Gardens and waterfall, with separate access and tickets.
Wicklow Way
The long-distance trail, stages and mountain walking.
Getting there
Dublin Airport, onward buses, car rental and parking.
Where to stay
Village bases and overnight detours from the walking route.
When to visit
Weather, seasonal nature and outdoor planning.
History
Military Road, the national park and filming locations.
A drive, a guided excursion or a walk?
The five-hour half-day coach trip from Dublin includes a local guide and air-conditioned transport. A nine-hour combination adds Kilkenny, with guided walks at its stops; Kilkenny Castle admission and lunch are extra. Another seven-and-a-half-hour programme includes a Lough Tay photo stop, English-language guiding, a Dublin city highlights drive and a pub visit with Guinness for adults aged 18 and over. It is a sightseeing day rather than a dedicated mountain hike.
The seven-hour waterfall outing includes transport, driver commentary and admission to Powerscourt Waterfall. Riding offers a different activity: choose between a local horse trek and an eight-hour Dublin programme with horse riding and guiding. The local trek starts between Hollywood and Ballymore Eustace; the Dublin riding outing starts at the Molly Malone statue on Suffolk Street. For a private vehicle or a guided outdoor group, use the separate private tours comparison.
Powerscourt and the villages
Powerscourt is a privately run estate, separate from the national park. Garden and waterfall visits require separate planning: they have different tickets, opening schedules and approaches. The waterfall lies six kilometres from the gardens, with no public transport between them. An excursion including waterfall admission therefore answers a different need from a garden visit with admission paid separately.
Enniskerry is the village base for Powerscourt, while Roundwood and Laragh are useful names when arranging a walking stay. Accommodation can be away from the trail itself. Read the village base guide before placing an overnight stop directly on a mountain route.
Glendalough
Glendalough forms part of several landscape excursions. Keep its visit separate from planning the wider mountain roads: the dedicated guide to Glendalough monastery and lakes covers that destination. A stop there does not turn every coach circuit into a long-distance walking trip.
Preparing for an outdoor day
The historic Military Road was built between 1801 and 1809. Its history adds context to a drive, but the historic route and today’s R115 are not identical. Use the Sally Gap guide for the road-focused part of a visit and the history page for the background. If walking is the main purpose, treat Djouce, Lugnaquilla and Great Sugar Loaf as different mountain choices rather than interchangeable stops on a coach itinerary. The walking guide brings those choices together with the Wicklow Way, where overnight accommodation can require a detour from the route.
For mountain walking, take suitable footwear, rainwear, food, drinking water, a map and a compass. Weather and route restrictions matter more than a scenic photograph. Keep dogs on leads in the national park, take rubbish away and leave plants, stones and wildlife undisturbed. The transport guide helps separate a Dublin meeting point from an independent journey to a trailhead.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the national park or estate website?
This is an independent guide, separate from NPWS, Powerscourt, Luggala and tourism authorities. Each land manager sets the rules for its own site.
Does the national park charge admission?
National park access is free throughout the year, subject to local restrictions. Parking can cost extra, and private attractions have separate tickets.
Can visitors walk down to Lough Tay?
The lake and shore are not publicly accessible. Use the public viewpoints near Ballinastoe Woods and the J. B. Malone Memorial; the surrounding private estate has separate access conditions.